Many LGBTQ+ Latino immigrants and refugees arrive in Canada seeking safety from violence, poverty, and exclusion in their home countries. However, they face new challenges upon arrival, including language barriers, unemployment, housing instability, and limited healthcare access. These factors increase vulnerability, often pushing them into high-risk activities, such as sex work, which exposes them to HIV, Hepatitis C (HCV), and violence.

This presentation will explore the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ Latino refugees living with HIV in Vancouver, BC, and how the Dr. Peter Centre's (DPC) Model of Care addresses their complex needs. The focus is discussing how harm reduction practices and comprehensive care can mitigate these risks and improve health outcomes.

At the Dr. Peter Centre, a trauma-informed, harm reduction-based approach offers tailored care, including medication adherence support, healthcare access, recreational activities, and community engagement programs. These services help combat isolation and stigma while promoting physical and emotional well-being. The Centre also addresses social determinants of health by providing safe spaces for connection and support.

The DPC’s model exemplifies how equitable access to care and reducing stigma are crucial in creating just health outcomes for marginalized populations. The Centre empowers individuals to regain control over their health and lives by offering an integrated, client-centred approach.

Presenting this session in South America, where many begin their migration, offers a unique opportunity to reflect on harm reduction through the lens of migration. The aim is to foster dialogue on how receiving countries can better address the risks refugees face, not only upon arrival but throughout integration.

The Dr. Peter Centre’s holistic model rooted in harm reduction addresses the immediate and long-term needs of LGBTQ+ Latino refugees living with HIV and HCV. It emphasizes that while migration may reduce some risks, new harms often emerge, requiring comprehensive care.